By Bunmi Yekini
The World Health Organization has called for expanded access to free treatment for leprosy, warning that the ancient disease continues to infect tens of thousands of people each year and that stigma remains one of the biggest barriers to elimination.
Marking World Leprosy Day, observed globally on Jan. 25, the WHO said ensuring early diagnosis and uninterrupted treatment is essential to stopping transmission, preventing disability and tackling the social exclusion faced by people affected by the disease.
Leprosy, caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium leprae, primarily attacks the skin and peripheral nerves. If untreated, it can lead to progressive and permanent disabilities. The disease is curable with multidrug therapy (MDT).
Global elimination efforts have sharply reduced new infections in many countries. Of the 188 countries and territories that submitted data to WHO in 2024, 55 reported zero cases. But the disease persists, with 172,717 new cases recorded worldwide that year.
“Access to treatment is central to everything we are trying to achieve,” WHO said, noting that MDT not only cures leprosy but also prevents disabilities and helps affected people continue working and living normal lives.
A cornerstone of those efforts has been a long-running partnership with Swiss drugmaker Novartis, which since 2000 has supplied MDT and the drug clofazimine free of charge to patients worldwide. WHO and Novartis recently extended their agreement for another five years, from 2026 to 2030, to maintain global supplies and support the distribution of single-dose rifampicin to help prevent infection among close contacts.
“The unwavering commitment of partners like Novartis over the past quarter-century has been foundational to the progress made against leprosy,” said Dr Jeremy Farrar, WHO assistant director-general. “Ensuring free access to treatment has helped transform millions of lives and moved us closer to a world free from this ancient disease.”
Novartis said it remained committed to the goal of eliminating leprosy. “Over the last 25 years, we have reached millions of patients together with WHO, and we are determined to go further,” said Dr Lutz Hegemann, president of global health at the company.
This year’s World Leprosy Day theme, “Leprosy is curable, the real challenge is stigma”, focuses attention on the discrimination many patients face, even after successful treatment.
Yohei Sasakawa, WHO goodwill ambassador for leprosy elimination, who is marking 25 years in the role, said stigma often causes deeper and longer-lasting harm than the disease itself.
“Even after being cured, people endure the unending pain of social exclusion,” he said, citing cases of forced divorce, lost education opportunities and unfair dismissal.
WHO said sustaining progress will require stronger political commitment, community engagement and continued partnerships, alongside intensified contact screening and preventive treatment.
Leprosy is one of the neglected tropical diseases targeted for elimination under WHO’s 2021–2030 roadmap, which aims to interrupt transmission and tackle the discrimination associated with the illness.